Pardew Defends USA Trip

Last updated : 16 July 2011 By Footy Mad - Editor

USA

They leave Newcastle early on Sunday morning and in total face 10 flights to reach games against Kansas City, Orlando and Columbus Crew.

Several are six-hour internal flights before they return home on Wednesday July 27.

Pardew says the benefits of their training base at sports complexes in Kansas and Orlando far out-weigh the inconvenience of so many flights.

Newcastle will travel over 10,000 miles, while at the other end of the scale, Premiership new boys Swansea will travel 19 miles for their preparations.

Alan Pardew: "The benefit of going is the facilities. It is going to be hot so it will test us because my experience tells me the first game of the season will be 90 degress at St James's Park, so that will be good.

"The training ground and facilities are top drawer. The competition there is in mid-season and I think the games are going to be tough and that is just what we need.

"I think they're are a couple of internal flights of about four hours but we are dwarfed by some of the trips by the other Premier League teams with these Asia trips.

"This is not a money making exercise by any stretch of imagination. It is purely a break-even tour which we feel is beneficial for the team."